UEFA have 'concrete plan' to complete Champions League, Aleksander Ceferin confirms

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has confirmed that there are firm plans in place to ensure that the Champions League will be completed behind closed doors this summer

Posted Monday, May 18, 2020 by Dailystar.co.uk

The 2019/2020 Champions League tournament will be completed behind closed doors this summer, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has confirmed.

The competition was halted with four of the eight 'Round of 16' ties completed, just after Atletico Madrid had knocked holders Liverpool out on a dramatic night at Anfield.

Manchester City and Real Madrid's tie is finely poised at 2-1 to the Premier League side with the second leg still to play.

On completing UEFA European competitions this summer, Ceferin told BEIN Sports: “We have a concrete plan of finishing the European season.

"Of course, this summer we will have to play without spectators at the stadiums. I think the majority of leagues will finish the season.

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"The ones who will not, it’s their decision. But they will still have to play qualifiers if they want to participate in the European UEFA competition.

“We have an idea but we have to wait for the executive committee of UEFA to confirm the dates. I can say that the European season will be finished, if everything is as it is now, in August.

"As things look now, I’m sure… that we can finish the European season and this means UEFA competition."

UEFA has also clarified that it is not planning to make changes to its club competitions access list for next season.

Last week, Ceferin told beIN SPORT he thought the decision to cancel the remainder of the season in Ligue 1 and 2 was 'premature'.

It was suggested that clubs from leagues who have taken the decision to end the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign would have to take part in preliminary qualifying rounds for UEFA competitions next term.

But Europe's governing body has moved to clear up the confusion, insisting only teams who have finished in positions whereby they enter at that stage will need to do so.

“The national leagues are a separate thing and they will decide separately how they want to proceed. But as I said before, I think at least 80% will finish the season,” Ceferin added.

“For now, it looks as though the calendar will not be affected much, especially the calendar of UEFA competitions.

"The calendar is very dense, so we don’t have much space to change things. My opinion is that it will stay the same.

“About the national leagues – it’s hard to say. Some say that they are thinking of starting a bit later, some will start normally. But for European competition… we are of a view that it should stay the same."